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Boats sit out of the water at the Lorain Sailing & Yacht Club on Feb. 14, 2019. The Lorain Sailing & Yacht Club and the Westlake Yachting Club are considering a merger that would join Lorain's yacht clubs for the 2019 boating season. Lorain City Council Parks & Recreation Committee said the full council should approve details needed for the merger.

The signs remained posted at the Westlake Yachting Club on Feb. 14, 2019. The Lorain Sailing & Yacht Club and the Westlake Yachting Club are considering a merger that would join Lorain's yacht clubs for the 2019 boating season. Lorain City Council Parks & Recreation Committee said the full Council should approve details needed for the merger.

Lorain Council committee supports boat club merger on waterfront

Boats sit out of the water at the Lorain Sailing & Yacht Club on Feb. 14, 2019. The Lorain Sailing & Yacht Club and the Westlake Yachting Club are considering a merger that would join Lorain's yacht clubs for the 2019 boating season. Lorain City Council Parks & Recreation Committee said the full council should approve details needed for the merger.

The signs remained posted at the Westlake Yachting Club on Feb. 14, 2019. The Lorain Sailing & Yacht Club and the Westlake Yachting Club are considering a merger that would join Lorain's yacht clubs for the 2019 boating season. Lorain City Council Parks & Recreation Committee said the full Council should approve details needed for the merger.

Westlake Yachting Club members have approved the plan and Lorain Sailing & Yacht Club members were to vote on the deal the evening of March 16.

When the issue came before City Council in February, Council members said they wanted more details before the two clubs join.

On March 11, Council’s Parks and Recreation Committee recommended the full Council approve at least two requirements needed for the merger.

City involvement

Council members discussed details about the club location and the transfer of a liquor license involved.

They heard from Safety-Service Director Dan Given and sailing club Commodore Joe Spainhourd, who also talked about the situation in February.

The city owns the boat basin where the Lorain Sailing & Yacht Club has its marina, 108 Alabama Ave., Given said.

The yacht club leases the space and rent money goes to the Lorain Port Authority.

Given called the arrangement “convoluted by today’s terms.”

Westlake Yachting Club has operated for years out of a building at Spitzer Riverside Marina, Spainhourd said.

When the Westlake Yachting Club lost its lease last year due to a change in building ownership, officers of the two clubs began talking about a merger, he said.

Westlake Yachting Club has a liquor license that allows members to consume open alcoholic beverages on premises, Given said.

The lease of the Lorain Sailing & Yacht Club allows sale of beer, snacks, bait and gas there.

But it does not allow open consumption of food and beverages at the site, Given said.

That led to the city administration bringing the merger agreement to Council to consider allowing consumption of alcoholic beverages on city property, he said.

The situation is similar to that of selling beer at the city’s Pipeyard baseball stadium, Given said.

However, Law Director Pat Riley noted the club would be a membership organization not open to the general public.

Ward 8 Councilman Joshua Thornsberry said he supported the merger, but would like the club rental payments to come to a city account earmarked for maintenance of the marina.

Committee Chairman Mitch Fallis and Council members Mary Springowski, Joe Koziura and Dennis Flores also voiced support for the deal, including allowing the consumption of alcoholic beverages at the city boat basin.

The necessary city legislation will include language to create a new marina maintenance fund for the lease payments.

As for the Lorain Port Authority, the Port board and staff have deferred negotiations and details to the city because the boat basin is city property.

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Richard Payerchin covers Lorain City Hall, business news and other interesting stories for The Morning Journal. Reach the author at rpayerchin@MorningJournal.com or follow Richard on Twitter: @MJ_JournalRick.